CSOs, OTHERS ENGAGE IN CAPACITY BUILDING TO IMPROVE CIVIC SPACE

Civil Society organizations have been charged to engage in regular mutual capacity building and partnerships among CSOs and other stakeholders, to build a strong alliance towards organizational growth and sustainable development in the civic space.

This was stated at the Mutual Capacity Strengthening of Organizations in Port Harcourt with the theme, “Organization Capacity Strengthening For Tax Governance Cluster and Other Emerging CSOs in Rivers State”, organized by Ofure Center for Peace and Development in collaboration with the Ududu Development and Peace Initiative, with support from Oxfam Nigeria, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC) and Fair For All, which held on the 18^th and 19^th of November 2024 in Port Harcourt.

The Executive Director of Ududu Development and Peace Initiative, Ngozi Anyawu while presenting the program overview, stated that the key element for sustainable organizational growth and maintaining excellence in the civic space can be achieved through capacity building and engagements where long standing organizations and emerging CSOs can rob minds together and share ideas on their success, strengths and areas of improvement.

She added that emerging organizations can grow by learning from other organizations who have been in the civic space, learning about project implementation, measuring outcomes, improving on activities and partnering with already standing CSOs in engagements that will ensure sustainable growth.

Presenting a paper on “Organizational Sustainability and Self-reliance”, Friday Igweh stated that Financial sustainability is a pivotal part of organizational growth, which he said is hindered by poor management of funds and lack of financial discipline.

He also pointed out that an organization that strives for growth cannot isolate itself from its social environment, adding that social growth is achieved when organizations form alliance externally with its surrounding environment and other organizations, and also internally with its staff, for positive growth.

Also facilitating a presentation on “Monitoring and Evaluation”, Josiah Chijindu highlighted the importance of project fund raising in organizations, coaching, monitoring and evaluation, to measure organization’s achievements, improve performance, document successes, promote accountability and recognize other possible areas of growth.

On his part, Executive Director of Ofure Center for Peace and Development, Amb. Okoduwa Sylvester stated that the program is critical to identify gaps in emerging NGOs and those who have attained stability in the area of organizational structure, monitoring and evaluation, and resource/ social mobilization.

He added that the engagements will leverage on the lapses of the organizations, to mutually build the capacity of partnering organizations and stakeholders towards future grants and emerging projects.

The program was attended by Civil Society organization, Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, the Media, and other stakeholders, with presentations, participatory discussions and brainstorming sessions that examined the structure of emerging and existing CSOs, identifying gaps and how these gaps can be improved on, to ensure sustainable growth in the civic space.